The Stonewall Museum has severed ties with Florida’s tourism authority after the latter took down an LGBT-specific section from its website.
Two weeks ago, it was reported that Visit Florida, the marketing wing of Florida’s state tourism, had quietly taken down a section from its website. The section originally invited LGBT+ people to visit the state. The move, which was supposed to be in line with the state’s new anti-LBGT policies – drew outcry from all quarters.
Now, the Stonewall Museum, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, announced that it is cutting all ties with the agency. The museum, which celebrates the iconic Stonewall riots and the LGBTQ+ history in America, had been associated with Visit Florida for many years. But now they not only cut off ties, but also demanded a refund for the annual fee of $475 they paid to the agency; the latter complied with it. The executive director of the museum said: “For a small nonprofit that gets nothing in return for their money, its money we can use better than them.”
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For many years, Florida – spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis – has adopted a firm stance against LGBTQ+ issues. They recently passed legislation, commonly called the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which restricts discussion of gender identities and sexual orientation in schools. The state has also issued restrictions on bathroom usage as well as a ban on certain books on LGBTQ+ subjects. Apart from this, DeSantis also recently cut the budget for the state’s artists and museums in a major move.
